Aviation Groups to Obama: File EU-ETS Protest at ICAO

Nineteen U.S. aviation organizations–including NBAA, NATA, AOPA and GAMA–sent a joint letter to President Obama yesterday urging him to “challenge the inclusion of international aviation under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) by initiating an Article 84 proceeding in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).” Invoking Article 84 allows the ICAO council to decide disputes that cannot be settled between member states. In 2000, this action was used to settle the engine hushkit squabble between the U.S. and Europe.

“Standing up against the application of this unilateral scheme on U.S. airlines and general aviation aircraft operators is necessary to protect U.S. sovereignty and jobs,” the groups said. “And it is the right position for the environment, since it will foster implementation of a truly international approach to aviation greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, draining away any funds through taxation or cap-and-trade schemes to general government funds reduces the ability of our industry to limit emissions.”

The groups called EU-ETS a “breach of U.S. sovereignty” because it imposes an EU tax on U.S. airlines, aircraft operators and citizens while flying in U.S. airspace and over international waters. “Unanswered, [EU-ETS] almost certainly will result in other such schemes affecting a variety of sectors of the U.S. economy,” they warned.

Comments

matt (not verified)

September 18, 2012 - 5:08pm

This definiately should be done. Unfortunely President Obama is not an aviation supporter and is in the pockets of the enviromentalist lobbies that do not want this action to be taken. Hopefully all who make a living in the aviation business remember this at election time.

That's a laugh. Obama is the last person that will do anything for business aviation. Even though he uses government aircraft for his own personal reasons.
Congress hasn't taken much action either which goes to show they really could care a less as well.